DPD has entered into a strategic partnership for out-of-home (OOH) parcel services with ‘foodvenience’ provider Valora that will add 700 pickup locations to its network across Switzerland.
Meanwhile, its Lithuanian subsidiary has launched a new strategy that specifies goals in key sustainability areas and highlights environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities for the operator.
OOH services
As part of the partnership with Valora, DPD Switzerland customers will now be able to collect, drop off and return parcels at over 1,000 locations throughout the country by the end of July. This is in response to changing consumer needs, with DPD survey data showing that 38% of all shipments in 2023 went to OOH sites.
The additional pickup points will be integrated into shops at highly frequented spots in prime locations. Many have long opening hours and some are even open on Sundays.
To enable shipments to be processed efficiently at the checkout, Valora has integrated the DPD application directly into its checkout system. Consignees can reroute the order themselves to a conveniently located DPD Pickup parcel shop. If the delivery drivers find no one home and are unable to leave the parcel, they can deposit it at a nearby DPD Pickup parcel shop.
“I am delighted that, in Valora, we have found the ideal partner to implement our out-of-home strategy. The excellent locations throughout Switzerland, the long opening hours and the innovative applications are central to the joint development of an OOH network that meets a growing customer need: to receive and drop off parcels where and when you want,” said Claudio Bichsel, head of customer relations and pickup, DPD (Schweiz) AG.
ESG goals
Meanwhile, DPD Lithuania has introduced its sustainability strategy outlining the company’s commitments across various sustainability fields.
“The aim of our strategy is to define the company’s long-term vision, goals and methods for integrating sustainable practices into our operations,” explained Robertas Vilkaitis, CEO of DPD Lithuania. “The ESG strategy serves as a tool for the company to actively manage and forecast environmental impact while achieving economic and social goals. Given the rapidly changing global climate, we place special emphasis on environmental objectives. Therefore, we adapt and innovate toward new sustainability-focused initiatives.”
According to Markas Ąžuolas, sustainability manager at DPD Lithuania, one of the key focuses of the ESG strategy is climate change. The company is committed to implementing proactive and systematic actions that make a significant contribution to mitigating climate change.
“At the company group level, we have established short- and long-term goals for reducing emissions. Our aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by 43% by 2030 and achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2040. Each year, we actively reduce transport pollution and transition our parcel delivery vehicles to less polluting alternatives,” he added.
“Our couriers have been operating electric vehicles for more than two years. Recently, it has been observed that this initiative not only helps achieve our environmental goals but also improves the working conditions of our couriers. We currently have 72 electric vehicles in the company’s fleet.
“Electric vehicles mark a new era of sustainability in the parcel delivery market. Their development is one of the measures that brings us closer to our goal: by 2035, all vehicles used by the company group should be electrified.”
Long-term relationships
The ESG strategy also looks to create good working conditions and transparent and competitive pay, while supporting vulnerable groups in society, ensuring high business ethics, actively preventing corruption and fraud and managing conflicts of interest.
“Transparent communication is the basis of responsible business, making it one of our most important obligations,” Vilkaitis commented. “We strive to build long-term relationships with sustainable partners and provide transparent financial results to the public. Additionally, we educate our employees on business ethics and ensure the protection of human rights in all company activities.”
According to Vilkaitis, the plan for 2025 includes publishing DPD Lithuania’s first sustainability report. This report will provide a better understanding of the company’s sustainability activities, achieved results and applied measures, and evaluate the company’s progress over the years.
You can find the latest ESG strategy of DPD Lithuania here: https://www.dpd.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/232/2024/07/DPD-Tvarumo-strategija-2024-07.pdf